COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

NSD Notebook: DT Solomon commits to Michigan

Lindyssports.com Staff

February 01, 2017 at 2:54 pm.

Feb 1, 2017; Leesburg, GA, USA; Lee County High School defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon commits to the Michigan Wolverines during National Signing Day. Photo Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 1, 2017; Leesburg, GA, USA; Lee County High School defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon commits to the Michigan Wolverines during National Signing Day. Photo Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Five-star recruit Aubrey Solomon, who Rivals rated as the second-best defensive tackle in the country, announced his commitment to Michigan on National Signing Day.

Solomon made his decision known on Wednesday, a move that is viewed as impressive considering the Georgia-born player eschewed SEC powers Alabama and Georgia as well as USC to compete in Ann Arbor.

Solomon originally committed to the Wolverines several months ago, but the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder backed off that statement after Michigan sent a thank you note addressed to another player in regard to attending an event he knew nothing about.

“A day or two ago, they sent my mom a card thanking us for going to the Michigan BBQ, but we never went,” Solomon at the time told Dawgs247, a Georgia recruiting site. “I do not know which recruit they were talking to, but it was not me. It was just a little heartbreaking, for me to supposedly be so high on their list, for them to confuse me with someone else.

“Plus they spelled both of my names wrong after I told them, but that was not the main issue. I guess they do not have tabs on me.”

Solomon, who apologized for his comments shortly thereafter, made a flub of his own on Wednesday. When announcing his official decision, Solomon said that he would be attending the “University of Miami” while putting on a Michigan hat.

The signing put Michigan fourth in the rankings released on Wednesday afternoon by Rivals.com. Alabama was well out ahead at No. 1, followed by Ohio State, Georgia and then LSU at No. 5.

In other key signings around the nation:

Five-star defensive end LaBryan Ray selected home-state school Alabama over Florida, Tennessee and Ole Miss.

The 6-4, 275-pound Ray, who is listed as the 26th best player by 247Sports Composite, was named the AL.com Huntsville-Region Player of the Year.

Four-star defensive end Jarez Parks elected to grayshirt at the Crimson Tide, opting to enroll at the school in January instead.

Parks was expected to announce his commitment on Wednesday, but elected this route as Alabama was running out of scholarships for the Class of 2017.

Parks will not be on scholarship once he enrolls to the school and will have to pay his own way.

–Four-star linebacker Levi Jones, who is the 65th-ranked player in the ESPN 300, committed to USC to kick off the National Signing Day festivities.

A 6-4, 215-pound linebacker from Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, Jones cited his visit to Southern Cal as his primary reason for selecting the Trojans over Florida State, Florida and UCLA.

Jones, however, elected to have some fun in revealing his decision on Wednesday. He took off his jacket to reveal a long-sleeve Florida T-shirt before pulling that off to show a Florida State shirt underneath. The disrobing continues as he removed that shirt to reveal a USC shirt.

Jones added a Trojans hat before saying, “Fight on,” to complete the display.

His father, Robert Jones, is a three-time Super Bowl champion.

USC also landed offensive tackle Austin Jackson and defensive tackle Jay Tufele, who were ranked in the ESPN 300 at Nos. 54 and 119, respectively.

Jackson, who is listed at 6-5, 260 pounds out of Phoenix, selected the Trojans ahead of Arizona State and Washington.

Tufele took an official visit from USC in January and chose the school over BYU, Michigan, Ohio State and his home state of Utah.

–Jeff Thomas, who is the eighth-ranked wide receiver and No. 55 overall in the ESPN 300, declared he would commit to Miami.

Thomas, who is from East St. Louis, Ill., reportedly was also considering Tennessee, Illinois and Oregon.

–Four-star safety Todd Harris, who was ranked 83rd overall in the ESPN 300, signed with LSU.

The 6-0, 180-pound Harris, who is from Plaquemine, La., opted to stay closer to home and passed on offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Ole Miss and TCU.

The Tigers also secured the services of signing Under Armour All-American defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson, who was ranked No. 34 in the ESPN 300.

Chaisson, who is listed at 6-4, 220 pounds, received his first offer from LSU when he attended a prospect camp and selected the Tigers over Baylor and Colorado.

Four-star linebacker Tyler Taylor, who is ranked 204th in the ESPN 300, signed with LSU over Auburn, Georgia, Oklahoma and Ole Miss.

–Guard Tedarrell Slaton, who is the 91st ranked player in the ESPN 300, committed to Florida over Georgia and Miami.

Slaton, who is listed at 6-4, 360 pounds, is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Versatile Christopher Henderson, who played running back and wide receiver in addition to defensive roles, also committed to the Gators.

Henderson originally had committed to Miami and received offers from Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Tennessee.

–Linebacker Willie Gay, who is ranked 211th in the ESPN 300, selected Mississippi State over Ole Miss and LSU.

Gay, who is from Starkville (Miss.) High School, opted to stay home for college over LSU and Michigan.

–Leonard Warner, who is the second-ranked linebacker and 130th overall in the ESPN 300, selected Florida State over Georgia and Stanford.

–Four-star defensive end Markaviest Bryant, who is No. 100 in the ESPN 300, signed with Auburn.

Bryant, a Georgia native, reportedly received offers from 27 schools — including 13 of the 14 teams in the SEC.

–Four-star cornerback Chevin Calloway, who is No. 120 in the ESPN 300, signed with Arkansas.

Calloway, who originally had committed to Iowa, was also considering Nebraska, Ole Miss, Texas and Texas A&M.

–Leonard Warner, who is the second-ranked inside linebacker in the country and No. 130 on the ESPN 300, committed to Florida State.

The 6-4, 224-pound Warner chose the Gators over his home state of Georgia as well as Stanford.

–Michigan State commit and three-star defensive end prospect Donovan Winter was unable to send his letter of intent on Wednesday … as he was in jail.

Police arrested the 18-year-old Winter on Monday and charged the native of Orlando, Fla. With burglary and larceny of a firearm.

Winter, who committed to the Spartans in June, is ordered to appear in court on March 7. The school is not allowed to comment on prospective student-athletes until it receives their letters of intent.

ALL  |  NFL  |  College Football  |  MLB  |  NBA